Hair cutting instrument



Dec. 9, 1941. A. A. MARTIN 2,265,384

HAIR CUTTING INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 21, 1938 Iwvenibr A. A. MARTIN Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAIR CUTTING INSTRUMENT Angus A. Martin, Winsted, Conn. I Application September 21,1938, Serial No. 231,024

15 Claims.

This invention relates to hair cutting instruments of the nature shown in my copending application Serial No. 169,998, filed October 20, 1937, and the primary object of the invention is the development of certain improvements over such former instruments.

My novel hair cutting instruments can be adjusted to clipping and shaving positions and the construction is such that in the latter position the hair is cut closely adjacent to the skin, and this close cutting feature is enhanced by the employment of a relatively thin sheet metal clipping blade for engaging the skin. One object of my present invention is the production of an instrument of this nature provided with a blade carrier adapted to receive a flat sheet metal blade in a manner permitting convenient removal and replacementof such blade, the blade preferably having its clipping teeth thinned to a degree providing a very close shave and being so simple and inexpensive as to permit a new blade to be readily substituted whenever the used blade becomes worn or defective, and the construction of the carrier preferably being such that the resiliency of the blade held thereby serves to hold the blade teeth in resilient clipping engagement with the teeth of a cooperating reciprocatory blade.

A further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction including a pintle supporting a clipping blade for reciprocatory and pivotal movement and in a guard carried by the clipping head and provided with guard teeth forwardly of the clipping teeth and with lugs for supporting the free end of the pivotal blade for reciprocation and in proper position relative to the guard teeth. Such construction not only provides a relatively simple clipping head for my novel instrument but also one which is readily adaptable to the employment of a thin and resilient sheet metal blade for cooperating with the reciprocatory blade.

Other features of the invention relate to a reciprocatory carrier adapted removably to receive a cutting blade thereon and having either clipping teeth or a-sharp and continuous cutting edge. Cooperating with this carrier is a fixed carrier adapted removably to receive a resilient sheet metal blade or piece for cooperating with the cutting blade all in the manner hereinafter described.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments 55 thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. ,1 is a head elevation of my improved instrument, partially broken away, h

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of blade,

' Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a carrier therefor,

Fig. '7 is a perspective view 'of the reciprocatory clipping blade,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the guard portion of the head together with the guard teeth carried thereby,

Fig. 9 is a sectional view through a modified form of head,

Fig. 10 is a face view of the reciprocatory clipping blade thereof,

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through a further modified form of head, and

Fig. 12 is a face view of a'reciprocatory cutting blade used therein.

Referring first to Figs. 1-8 of the drawing, [0 indicates the body of the instrument on the forward end of which is mounted a yoke l2 having spaced ears I at its ends. A pintle I5 is carried by and between the ears [4 and is held in place by spring clips l6. Mounted on the pintle between the ears is a guard member I8 including two supporting collars 20. This member can pivot to various positions on the pintle but frictional engagement of the ears therewith prevents its free pivotal movement. I

Also mounted on the pintle 15 for pivotal and reciprocatory movement thereon is a blade 2| having clipping teeth 22 along its forward edge. The extreme end portions 24 of the blade are adapted to rest on lugs 26 formed integral with the guard, the guard having guard teeth 21 between the lugs and located forwardly of the blade teeth 22 when the instrument is in use. The blade 2| is recessed at 28 to receive the crank end 30 of a driving shaft 32, the guard member being recessed at 34 to provide clearance therefor. Rotation of the shaft isv adapted to reciprocate the blade along the pintle. a

A blade 36 is provided with clipping teeth 38 for cooperating with the reciprocatory clipping teeth 22, and a U-shaped carrier 40 is provided to hold this blade. The carrier has U-shaped resilient ends 4| for engaging the guard l8 and over the collars 20 and is recessed at 42 to receive latching lugs 44 carried by the collars.

the fixed clipping The blade 36 is constructed of relatively thin and resilient sheet metal and the portion 46 thereof rearwardly of the shoulders 48 is adapted to be passed rearwardly through a slot 60 provided in the folded-over forward portion of the carrier. A lip 52 at the rear edge of the carrier is arranged, together with the shoulders 68, to receive and support the blade bowed from its normal fiat shape and squarely against rearward movement, the blade being secured against forward movement by a small detent 66 7 struck therefrom and engaging the folded over bridge piece of the carrier. Holding the blade thus bowed keeps it tightly in the carrier and the rear portion of the blade and carrier positioned away from interference with the face being clipped. The clipping teeth 38 formed along the forward edge of the blade are substantially thinned and the construction is such that these teeth are held in resilient clipping engagement with the teeth 22. The instrument is used for close clipping or,

shaving by engaging the blade 36 against the skin and for regular clipping by engaging the guardteeth 21 against the skin, the head being pivotal to different positions on the pintle as more particularly described in my co-pending application,

g the carrier 60.

The reciprocatory blade 2| is preferably made" from high grade tool steel and is tempered very hard while the thin blade 36 is made from good 5 tool steel tempered half hard, whereby allowing 1 the latter to take substantially all the wear and 1 at the same time serve to keep the clipping teeth 1 1 22 constantly sharp by their frictional contact 3 with the blade 36. Under such conditions the 1 toothed edge portion of the blade 36 will, after 1 a substantial period of use, become worn to a 3 degree rendering it ineflicient. The blade 36 will 1 thereupon be removed and ,a new blade-substituted therefor.

blade is so simple and its supporting carrier is It will be apparent that this gagement with the so constructed that such substitution can be made i at minor expense and with very little effort. It

i will furthermore be noted that not only is the blade 36 exceedingly thin but the clipping teeth- 38 thereof are further thinned, whereby the clipping of the hair takes place substantially at the skin surface. The lugs 26 are positioned properly j to locate the teeth 22 rearwardly of the guard j teeth 21 and the resilient engagement of the blade 36 with the free end of the blade 2| holds the 1 blade 2| in contact with the lugs.

While my preferred construction embodies a relatively inexpensive fixed blade 36 which can be conveniently removed and replaced with a new blade, as above described, it is also possible {within the scope of my invention to -make the :reciprocatory blade removable in like manner or make both blades removable and replaceable.

I The construction illustrated in Fig. 9 is the same as that already described except that a jblade carrier is mounted on the pintle 16 in lieu of the blade II and this carrier is adapted tov receive a removable blade 62 thereon and having clipping teeth 64 for cooperating with the clipping teeth of the blade 36. The blade 62 may be made of sheet metal somewhat thicker and stiifer than the blade 36 and it is perforated at 366 to receive locating and holding pins 66 on the carrier. The overlapping end portions 69 of the aeor sa carrier plate are recessed to receive the rear edge portion of the blade therebetween whereby such portions together with the pins 68 and the resilient engagement of the blade 36 hold the blade 62 firmly on the carrier.

As illustrated in Fig. 11, my improved instrument is also adapted to the use of a blade I6 with a straight cutting edge 12, the blade being provided with perforations 14 for engaging over the pins 68 and the arrangement being such that the cutting edge is located rearwardly of the guard teeth 21. In this case a resilient sheet metal piece 16 slightly shorter than the blade 36 will be mounted in the carrier 40, the forward edge of this piece engaging the blade HI rearwardly of the cutting edge 12 and serving resiliently to hold the blade in .sh'aving position on Having thus described my invention what I Patent of the United States is:

1. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a blade carried thereby and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade longitudinally of said edge, a blade carrier on the head having a blade receiving slot or the like extending along and parallel with said clipping teeth, and a-thin sheet metal blade extending through and supported at both faces therealong in said slot on the carrier and having clipping teeth along its forward edge in clipping engagement with the first-named teeth.

2. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a blade carried thereby and constructed to out along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade longitudinally of said edge, a blade carrier on the head having a blade receiving slot or the like extending along and parallel with said edge, and a thin and resilient sheet metal piece extending through and supported'at both faces therealong in said slot on the carrier and having its forward edge in resilient enblade adjacent to its forward edge.

3. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, a blade mounted for sliding and pivotal movement on the pintle and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade on the pintle, a. guard carried by the head and having means thereon beneath and adjacent to said forward edge for supporting the free end of the blade for reciprocation in clipping position, and a fixed blade carried by the head and having clipping teeth cooperating with the first named clipping teeth. ga -ti 4. The instrument defined in claim 3 wherein said blade supporting means on the guard com-.

about the pintle axis'and reciprocating movement longitudinally thereof and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, means for reciproeating the blade, a blade carrier on the head, a

resilient sheet metal blade having clipping teeth along one edge, and means securing the resilient blade to the blade carrier in a position holding" its clipping teeth in resilient clipping engagefment with the first named clipping-teeth the last named means permitting convenient removal and replacement of the resilient blade.

6. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, two collars on and respectively adjacent to the ends of the pintle, a U-shaped blade carrier mounted on the collars, a blade removably mounted on the carrier and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, a blade mounted on the pintle between the collars and having clipping teeth cooperating with the first named clipping teeth, and means for reciprocating the last named blade longitudinally of the pintle.

'7. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, two collars on and respectively adjacent to the ends of the pintle, a blade mounted on the pintle between collars and constructed to out along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade longitudinally of the pintle, a U-shaped carrier mounted on the collars, and a resilient sheet metal piece removably mounted on the carrier with its forward edge in resilient engagement with the blade adjacent to its forward edge.

8. The instrument defined in claim 7 plus lugs on the collars engaging within recesses in the blade carrier for holding the carrier on the head.

9. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, a guard having two supporting collars on and respectively adjacent to the ends of the pintle, a blade mounted for sliding and pivotal movement on the pintle and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade on the pintle, the guard having guard teeth forwardly of the clipping teeth and having lugs thereon at the ends of the guard teeth and beneaththe blade for supporting the blade in clipping position, a U-shaped blade carrier mounted on the collars, and a blade removably mounted on the carrier and having clipping teeth along its forward edge cooperating with the first named clipping teeth.

10. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, a blade carrier mounted for sliding and pivotal movement on the pintle, means for reciprocating the carrier on the pintle, a guard carried by the head and having means thereon beneath and adjacent to the forward edge of the carrier for supporting the carrier in clipping position and having guard teeth along its forward edge, a sheet metal blade having clipping teeth along one edge, means removably supporting the blade on the carrier in a position locating its clipping teeth adjacent to and rearwardly of the guard teeth when the carrier is supported in clipping position on the guard, and a fixed blade carried by the head and having clipping teeth cooperating with the first named clipping teeth.

11. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a pintle carried thereby, a blade carrier mounted for sliding movement on the pintle, means for reciprocating the carrier on the pintle, a guard carried by the head and having guard teeth along its forward edge, a sheet metal blade having clipping teeth along one edge, means removably securing the blade to the carrier in a position holding its clipping teeth adjacent to and rearwardly of the guard teeth, a second blade carrier on the head, a relatively thin and resilient sheet metal blade having clipping teeth along its forward edge, and means secur ing the resilient blade to the second carrier in a position bowed from its normal shape and in which position the resiliency of the blade holds its clipping teeth in resilient clipping engagement with the first named clipping teeth, the last named means permitting convenient removal and replacement of the resilient blade.

12. The instrument defined in claim 1 in which the blade carrier includes a bridge piece extending along and forming one wall of the slot, and a detent carried by the thin blade and cooperating with the bridge piece rearwardly of the slot for preventing forward movement of such blade.

13. The instrument defined in claim 1 wherein a forward portion of the thin blade is wider than the length of the slot and has rearwardly facing shoulders engaging the carrier beyond the ends of the slot for limiting rearward movement of such blade, the portion of the blade rearwardly of the shoulders being of a width to pass through the slot.

14. The instrument defined in claim 1 in which the blade carrier is of sheet metal and includes a lip bent to position overhanging the carrier rearwardly of the slot, the lip being adapted to recieive and support the blade rearwardly of the $10 15. A hair cutting instrument comprising a supporting head, a blade carried thereby and having clipping teeth along its forward edge, means for reciprocating the blade longitudinally of said edge, a blade carrier on the head, a relatively thin and resilient sheet metal blade of uniform thickness throughout and having clipping teeth along one edge, and means on the carrier cooperating with the outer face of the resilient blade longitudinally therealong and holding it bowed from its normal shape in such position that resilient reaction therefrom holds its clipping teeth in resilient clipping engagement with the first named clipping teeth, the last named meanspermitting convenient removal and replacement of the resilient blade.

' ANGUS A. MARTIN. 

